Greg Camarillo's "Charging Forward for Academic and Athletic Success" Mentorship and Scholarship Program
Mission Statement:
To connect professional athletes with middle school student-athletes to encourage consistent effort in the classroom, provide motivation for success, and emphasize the importance of education for the student-athlete
Greg Camarillo's “Charging Forward for Academic and Athletic Success” works with teachers, coaches, and students throughout California to identify and reward student athletes who have put forth a consistent effort in the classroom and in their respective athletic arena. Student-athletes will be rewarded for their hard work on and off the field. The rewards (e.g. trips to college and professional games, signed paraphernalia, participating in my sports camps, school visits from professional athletes) are used to generate motivation for continued success.
Charging Forward is most active in Compton and East Palo Alto, California. These are communities that have long suffered from poverty, gangs, violence, drugs and under-funded schools. Many of the youth in these communities turn to sports as an alternative to life on the streets. Charging Forward strives to reinforce the importance of achieving in both academics and athletics as a means of overcoming the harsh realities of the inner city. Most of these children have never had the opportunity to interact with professional athletes. Charging Forward provides that opportunity for school children to meet exemplary professional athletes who highlight the importance of education in achieving one's dreams.
Charging Forward works directly with Vanguard Learning Center, a middle school in Compton Unified School District, and East Palo Alto Academy to reward student-athletes who have dedicated themselves to achieving academic and athletic success. Meeting successful professional athletes will further motivate these young student-athletes to overcome the hurdles in their community through education and athletics.
Stay tuned for updates about Charging Forward events in both Compton and East Palo Alto! Keep up the amazing work Greg and we wish you the best as you embark on your new season with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Inaugural Year of Charging Forward
My original goals of the Charging Forward Program were to motivate students, in the Compton Unified School District, to strive for success athletically and academically. After the first six months, my goals have changed. I have seen the tremendous influence that this program has had on the youth and the ability it has to impact their lives. I will definitely continue to work with the students in Compton but I desire to collaborate with schools across Southern California, particularly in San Diego.
I have been fortunate enough to have the assistance of my older brother, Jeffrey Camarillo, in developing the program. He's received his Master's Degree in Education from Stanford University and has been teaching inner-city youth for over 5 years. This background allows for a great understanding of teaching methods and, most importantly, an excellent relationship with the students. From day one, his aide in developing the program has been priceless.
The first Charging Forward event was an atypical event. It was not a reward for great academic performance. Rather, it was aimed at familiarizing student-athletes with Charging Forward by equipping the Vanguard Vikings (a Compton Unified Middle School) flag football team with new cleats and gloves. Most of these children have never owned proper athletic apparel or equipment and were absolutely elated. These items were delivered with a message; this is only the beginning of rewards for student-athletes who strive to succeed. My goal was to provide incentive and motivation for kids to work hard. I promised to bring a group of the hardest working students to San Diego for a Charger home game.
Although the events are held months apart, the incentives have been working every day. For the first time in many of students' lives they have been encouraged to work hard and have been recognized for achieving goals. According to their teachers, students have been bragging about completing all their assignments on time and how long they've been preparing for tests. One student proclaims, while turning in a test, “Mr. C, I know I did good on this one! I'm going to show you that I want to go to that game.”
On the most recent trip to San Diego a student told me of rough situation he was confronted with, “Greg, these dudes kept trying to pick a fight with me. I swear it was like five times the other day. I wanted to get ‘em back but I kept telling myself San Diego, San Diego, San Diego.” I never thought my program would extend beyond classroom or the playing field but it has been able to motivate students to better themselves, not just their grades. This impact is priceless and, with continued community support for Charging Forward, will continue to help youth help themselves.
The following statistics highlight the academic accomplishments of the 15 student athletes who participated in Greg Camarillo's Charging Forward program during fall, winter or spring of 2006-07 at Vanguard Learning Center in Compton Unified School District:
100% of Charging Forward youth finished the year above a 2.0 GPA
45% of Charging Forward youth finished the year above a 3.0 GPA
30% of Charging Forward youth finished the year above a 2.5 GPA
79% of Charging Forward youth showed considerable academic improvement from the previous year through their involvement in the program
The only two students that were below a 2.0 GPA prior to their involvement with Charging Forward both finished the year well over a 2.0 GPA
No Charging Forward student-athletes were suspended from school for fighting or discipline reasons
Charging Forward helped produce the highest academically ranked African-American boy in the entire school, Leequan Thornton, who was actively involved with Charging Forward during all three athletic seasons. He finished with a 3.7 GPA and was ranked 10th of 208 8th graders in his class.
The average GPA of a Charging Forward student athlete was 2.8
